Itinerary change

[Oceanwench]

Maybe this has been posted and I missed it:

 

Has anyone else received a notice of an itinerary change for the Zuiderdam, EC cruises?

This is the e-mail I received this weekend:

 

Due to berthing conflicts, Holland America Ms Zuiderdam 7 Day Eastern

Caribbean Cruises Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale itinerary has been modified. The affected dates are: Apr 23, 30; May 14, 28; Jun 11, 25; Jul 9, 23; Aug 6, 20; Sep 3, 17; Oct 1, 15, 2005.

 

Holland America's Zuiderdam will be switching Port of Call for the Tuesday

making the Port to Call Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands from

8:00am - 6:00pm, and on Wednesday the Port of Call to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands from 7:00am - 6:00pm. Also the Friday the Port to Call Nassau, Bahamas the ship will be arriving one hour earlier at Noon -

8:00pm.

 

We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused, we look

forward to welcoming you aboard Holland America.

 

Thank you for booking Holland America Cruises!

[oliviaonthe beach]

I am sooooooo upset at this news! One of our main reasons for choosing the Zui was for the long stay in St. Thomas so we could go to St. John with no worries. We are booked on the 7/23 sailing. Does anyone know if HAL has any obligation to allow me to cancel without penalty since they changed the itinerary? Not sure if I will or not, but it is a consideration...Would anyone recommend the Caribbean Princess over the Zui given the itinerary change? Also, I assume Half Moon Cay is still intact, right? That would be more than I could take!

[doone]

Half Moon Cay is still paradise, you will enjoy it. I would take the Zuiderdam just for the day at Half Moon Cay.

 

If you booked the excursion to St. John's through HAL, they'll take care of everything. If its an excursion you booked on your own, then your on your own as far as any penalties are concerned.

[localady]

`You can always cancel without penalty from HAL up to 75 days before the cruise. Some agents are now charging a cancellation fee.

[oliviaonthe beach]

Thanks for the suggestions. My dismay is completely centered around the fact that the original 8 A.M. to 11 P.M. stay in St. Thomas is what attracted us in the first place. We absolutely love St. John and want to have a leisurely day there. We also have no intention of taking shore excursions in Tortola and st. Thomas. We are familiar with the ferries and know where we want to go. One slight concern: I have been on several other cruise lines and never had a problem getting off the ships in a timely manner. Some previous posts seem to imply that only HAL spponsored excursion folks will be let off first. Has anyone exdperienced serious delays in the aforementioned ports on the Zui?

[dakrewser]

One slight concern: I have been on several other cruise lines and never had a problem getting off the ships in a timely manner. Some previous posts seem to imply that only HAL spponsored excursion folks will be let off first. Has anyone exdperienced serious delays in the aforementioned ports on the Zui?

 

When tendering, people on ship-sponsored excursions get priority but there's no problem in a docking port.

[doone]

My Zuiderdam cruise in March was supposed to be in St. Thomas til 11 pm. We loved that idea, but now its changed to 9 pm, which isn't bad, and now that we think about it, its plenty of time in St. Thomas. We'll be back onboard probably no later than 6 pm anyways.

 

I have been sailing HAL for well over 20 years, I have never experienced, that I remember anyways, any problems getting off the ship in a timely manner. Hope you find it the same.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If I remember correctly, HAL changed the Zuiderdam's schedule last year.

I copied down the new times as we didn't get an e-mail from HAL and will be on the Zuiderdam in May.

[Tak8]

I'm glad to find this out so far enough in advance. We are booked on a private tour in Tortola and have been able to re-schedule with this advance notice.

In comparing the Caribbean Princess. I enjoyed our Princess cruise and would sail with them again. I have not been on the Caribbean Princess, but a few of the reasons I decided to return to the Z. are: being able to get to Tortola (have heard a lot of great things about BVI) and less people (Caribbean Princess has over 1000 more people).

[rollie5]

They did the same thing last summer.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I though that I had remembered correctly.

[Chadzbrew]

Well this is my first cruise and we were planning a wedding on the long St. thomas day till 11pm. They did switch dates on us as well as shorten the time in port. Family has already booked flights into St. thomas, a day early now. Shouldn't HAl keep to their itinerary fixed? This is so frustrating!!!! Any Ideas

[dakrewser]

Well this is my first cruise and we were planning a wedding on the long St. thomas day till 11pm. They did switch dates on us as well as shorten the time in port. Family has already booked flights into St. thomas, a day early now. Shouldn't HAl keep to their itinerary fixed? This is so frustrating!!!! Any Ideas

 

Which departure date are you? If you're still beyond 75 days you could cancel and re-book a different way (another ship, fly in, etc.).

[MandyGirl]

Yes - HAL did this last summer to Zuiderdam but for many embarkation dates, never gave forewarning. They finally let people know that the itinerary would be switched through a certain date. Here's one thread and another. Luckily passengers now have some sort of heads-up for future dates of changes.

 

Chadzbrew - Sorry about it messing up your wedding plans like that. We married in St John on a cruise and I know I have posted numerous times on various boards that with the schedule of the Zuiderdam it would be an awesome itinerary to book for a USVI wedding due to the long day in St Thomas (particularly if you are hoping to marry on St John). The Zui seemed to be the only ship sailing from the mainland US with such an extended time in St Thomas - making it perfect for having a non-rushed wedding day in an absolutely beautiful location. You can still do it though. :) The one thing to keep in mind with a cruise wedding is the fine print of the cruise contract... that they can change the itinerary at any time for any reason. It was a risk we faced when marrying on a cruise - so I too know the fear of the unknown. (I definitely breathed a big sigh of relief when we stepped off the ship on our wedding day!) Fortunately though we had our guests with us and didn't have to deal with airfares like you are (and I've flown into STT - I know it's not cheap). Good luck!

[joycruiser]

We are booked and paid to go on April 23. I was so glad I logged in tonite and saw this post! We too were so looking forward to a long day at St. Thomas (spending the day at St. Johns and shopping at nite in St.Tom)

 

I immediately called my TA about this change and ask if we could change dates (haven't booked airfare yet) and found out that I have until midnite tonite to make any changes. Seems the change goes into effect with my week. eeewww

 

Well, while the TA was checking into Feb, March, and April dates for me-I was checking airfare. Oh my goodness!!!! Airfare got worse and worse with the price and times!! Best I could get was $200.00 more pp than the fare I've been keeping my eye on for April 23.

 

We are keeping April 23 and I booked the non stop air tonite too! to be safe.

I really hope that everyone has a chance to make a change if they need to.

 

joy

[Chadzbrew]

Seems like the whole "Bait and Switch" worked for 2004 as this is what they are doing for summer 2005 as well. It seems as though this is how HAL operates. I plan on rebooking with a company with integrity!

[tterryj50]

Just checked th HAL website and the "switch" is now reflected in the Zuiderdam's itinerary. We got lucky (so far). We depart 4/9/05 and are still scheduled to depart St. Thomas at 9:00pm. We too booked this cruise for the 9:00pm departure to give us a more leisurely time on St. John. I guess next HAL will be selling there cruises at local carnivals where doing this type of business is expected. This type of info should be posted on other boards to allow the greatest amt. of people to know what type of company they are dealing with. Hit HAL where it hurts, in the pocketbook. What do long time HAL cruisers think of this new business practice by HAL?

[dakrewser]

Chadzbrew and tterryj50, perhaps I'm dense, but I don't see where it's to HAL's advantage to switch itineraries - perhaps you could enlighten me?

 

 

Cruise itineraries get changed for many reasons few of which have anything to do with screwing over the passengers, many of which are beyond the control of the cruise lines. But, please, tell us where you get youbr inside information that this was done solely to cause you pain...

[tterryj50]

I don't think you're dense, possibly a stockholder, but not dense. As I stated, by falsely advertising a longer day in St. Thomas, I'm asuming more people than myself chose this cruise to allow them more time on St. Thomas thereby making this cruise more attractive than others. I use the term false advertising because, from what I gather, this is the second year that HAL has engaged in this practice. At the very least, Holland should allow people to opt out of this cruise with no penalty.

[doone]

When something like this happens, itinerary changes, I think HAL, and any other cruise line, should explain the reason for the change. I think people will understand more if they are upfront in the beginning. Its not only HAL doing this, other lines have done it in the past, it happened to a friend of mine on, I think it was NCL. By leaving HAL and booking with another line, just be aware, it could also happen on that line as well.

 

People think that when something happens that they don't like on the line they have booked, this type of thing is exclusive to that line, its not, it can happen on any line.

 

BUYER BE WARE.

[anngie]

doone, I think you are exactly right. When the itinerary is arbitrarily changed it makes you wonder why. You have already made your plans and cannot help but be disappointed.

Since our whole itinerary was changed twice in the last week before our last cruise my husband and I have really lost a lot of interest in cruising. :confused:

[doone]

Anngie, please don't be discouraged, sail for the ship, not the islands. I always figured if I was that interested in an island, I would fly there and stay, not cruise there. Either way, with cruising, you always know your time is limited at the ports. It is disappointing when its cut short and no explanation as to why. Go and enjoy cruising, ports, IMHO, are a bonus.

[Giorgi-one]

Please note that if you are trying to get off the ship early in St. Thomas, you will have to pass thru immigration on the ship before you are allowed to get off. Each floor is assigned a time beginning around 7 AM. It goes pretty quickly.

[shipcafe]

Just curious as to what there is to do after 6PM in St. Thomas? ... I've been there until 6 or 7 and everything seemed to die down after 5PM when the tours are back. IMO I wouldn't want to be wandering around after 7 or 8 PM anyways ... (?)

[dakrewser]

I don't think you're dense, possibly a stockholder, but not dense. As I stated, by falsely advertising a longer day in St. Thomas, I'm asuming more people than myself chose this cruise to allow them more time on St. Thomas thereby making this cruise more attractive than others. I use the term false advertising because, from what I gather, this is the second year that HAL has engaged in this practice. At the very least, Holland should allow people to opt out of this cruise with no penalty.

 

You seem to be under the impression that when posting the itinerary the line knew they woudn't be able to keep to it. I've seen no evidence of that. We have seen that some HAL cruises have stayed late in St. Thomas (and I'll ask along with ShipCafe - why would you want to? There are islands with vibrant nightlife that would warrant the late sailing, but St. Thomas?).

 

I agree it would be well to let people know why it happens, but if it's done to placate or appease the port authorities it might seem best to the line to keep mum and "stand the gaff" rather than risk alienting those who control their access to the ports even more.